News & Events

24 April 2017 – once again, we will be staging an event to mark the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster, the collapse of a clothing factory in Bangladesh which killed 1,130 workers four years ago. The factory was known to be unsafe and still the garment makers were herded in, some never to reemerge. At Designer Jumble, it is my mission to help promote sustainable fashion – fashion that does not harm the planet, and that aims to look after the people who work in the industry. Having recently moved my family out of London to the countryside, and my stock along with us, I will be inviting my new neighbours to my new showroom in the village of Thakeham this year, to introduce them to the concept of Fashion Revolution Day. If you are likely to be in the area (south of Horsham, west of Lewes, north of Worthing, northwest of Brighton), drop me an email at abi@designerjumblesale.com to let me know you would like to come along. We are in the second barn, as seen in the middle of the photo below.

1 December 2015, BRIGHTON – We are delighted to announce that you can now buy Designer Jumble at the wonderful Merlin & Ellis boutique in Brighton’s trendy Kemp Town. The shop’s owner, Ellis, sells great secondhand fashion, alongside handmade leather accessories, gorgeous fragrances and other treasures, and you will also love his coffee. Park in the Morrison’s Car Park, accessible via Dorset Street, if you visit. And say hi from us! 9 Manchester Street, Brighton BN2 1TF

1 October, 2015 – For the first time in Designer Jumble’s popup history, ALL our stock (and that’s approximately 10,000 pieces) will be under one roof. We are moving today, to a beautiful office in the heart of West Sussex, amid cows and fields in a village called Thakeham. The new space, all 1,300 square foot of it, is at Crays Court, Crays Lane, and we will be open for individuals to come view the whole collection – but only by appointment only. So please email abi@designerjumblesale.com to book.

Today the Issey Miyake corset that many of you will have seen at our Westfield shop went under the hammer… and took a whopping £38,000! The even better news is that it has sold to a reputable museum, so will be kept for posterity.

Auctioned on our behalf by fashion expert Kerry Taylor, it was an incredible result for an item that we discovered, unbranded, in a workshop amid circus props and costumes. The design, a corset in moulded resin featuring nipples and a bellybutton, was created in limited edition by the great Issey Miyake as an art piece in 1984, exploring attitudes to the female body. A black version was memorably modelled by Grace Jones in an image by Greg Gorman, 1995. Amazingly, this red edition was bought by the vivacious Hannelore Smart, then wife of Circus King Billy Smart Jr, and regularly worn by her – as fabulous photos in the family album attest. We had it authenticated by Issey Miyake, and sold on behalf of the family – who generously donated a share of the proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Society.

It is good to know, as it heads off to a new life behind glass, that this corset was really loved and put to use, as great design should be.

Fashion Is A Circus is a special sale of rare and iconic designer pieces, from the wardrobe of one extraordinary woman: Hannelore Smart, widow of Billy Smart Junior. Among the lots are items by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Thierry Mugler, Alaia and Vivienne Westwood spanning three decades. Hosted by former vogue.com editor Abi Chisman of Designer Jumble, 10% of all proceeds from this auction goes to Alzheimer’s Society.

Designer Jumble is hosting a series of amazing activities and events to mark Fashion Revolution Day, on 24th April, the first anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory, to show shoppers how to continue to enjoy fashion in a humane way.

Special events

Fashion blogger Susie Bubble will be dressing the windows on the day, to reflect current catwalk trends but using recycled fashion.

Designer Katie Jones, who was showcased at London Fashion Week in Feb, will be in store upcycling a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier jumpsuit in her inimitable quirky style, and taking bookings for personal workshops.

Fashion stylists Isabelle Bricknall, Alice Wilby, Vanessa Gillingham (Vogue/Glamour/Net-a-porter), Hesther King and others will be on hand to help shoppers find high end looks that best suit them, using only ethical or recycled fashion so you can shop guilt-free. (Book an appointment with abi@designerjumblesale.com to ensure you get a space)

Graffiti artists Pen Pushers will be creating a special “Fashion Revolution” artwork installation live before your eyes.

Sew It Forward is a frock-friendly initiative from The Good Wardrobe that encourages people to share their sewing, knitting and mending skills. Bring a garment in need of some TLC and find out how to keep it looking good for longer.

If that wasn’t enough…

Designer Jumble will be unveiling a collection of 1000 astonishing designer pieces from one woman’s wardrobe: Hannalore Smart, widow of Circus King Billy Smart Jr, has collected iconic items by Westwood, Alaia, YSL, Chanel, Dior and more from the last three decades, including a rare Issey Miyake moulded corset, considered one of his most iconic designs.

Opening times

Events will run between 10am-6pm, entry and attendance is free.
Closed for private party in the evening.

What will I be doing in this class?
Learn how to upcycle vintage crockery. We provide the plates and unique Indytute decals and help you to design and upcycle a one off china plate, which you can take home and display with your very special treasures. We will also be hosting a SAVE THE BEES campaign that day, so special bee designs will be available.

Do I need any kit?
A love for tea and pretty things. They’ll be cream tea on hand to inspire creativity (tea and cake courtesy of Brookes and Jones)

30th March – Jewellery-making with Kirsty of Uncommonly Beautiful to mark Mother’s Day.

What will I be doing in this class?
Uncommonly Beautiful is an anti-landfill fashion accessory label founded by the talented designer-maker, Kirsty Kirkpactrick. The 3 hour session starts with a design consultation (with Prosecco), discussing weight and structure of the necklace, taking into consideration body shape and colours.

Do I need any kit?
Treat your wife, girlfriend or Mum (it is Mothers Day after all). You’ll be given a glass of Prosecco and 10% off shopping in Designer Jumble

Our biannual one day event, the Designer Jumble Sale for Charity, will be taking place at at our store in Westfield Stratford City on Saturday the 15th of February 2014. Grab a bargain from the likes of Luella, Nicole Farhi, Prada, Missoni and other designer brands, all for a good cause and at a fraction of the RRP. This year a portion of the proceeds goes towards Just For Kids Law, who provide advocacy, support and assistance to young people in difficulty. Doors open at 9am with the sale finishing at 9pm.

We are excited to announce that Designer Jumble will be opening on Monday the 3rd of February at Westfield Stratford City. We are located on The Street, next to Balans and The London Gift shop, a two minute walk from Stratford station, which is accessible via the Central line, the Jubilee line, DLR, the London Overground and National Rail Services. We will be open 7 days a week as follows;